Skip Bayless on Joe Flacco: 'I think he's Joe Uncool'

October 25, 2011|By Matt Vensel

The Ravens offense was historically awful in the first half of Monday night's 12-7 loss to the Jaguars, with the visitors gaining 16 yards of total offense before halftime. Quarterback Joe Flacco was 6-for-16 for eight yards in the first half, and he completed more passes to himself (one) than the team picked up first downs (zero).

Flacco finished the game 21-for-38 for 137 yards, took three sacks and threw an interception in the final two minutes. I really enjoyed this line from Flacco after Monday’s loss: “I’m guessing we didn’t execute well.”

Millions of fans watching across the country -- including Tuesday's guests on ESPN's "First Take" -- took notice.

"He became Joe Uncool last night, which we’ve seen against good defenses again and again,” known ESPN rabble-rouser Skip Bayless said on Tuesday morning’s show. “Which is why I’m going to stick by what I’ve said all along: I do not believe the Ravens can win it all with Joe Flacco as their quarterback because I don’t think the rest of the team, deep down, believes that they can win with Joe Flacco as their quarterback.”

Bayless said “it’s a trust issue” and not a skill issue, busting out his through-provoking “Joe Uncool” line again.

“What has happened in any big game against a pretty good pass rush?” said Bayless, who criticized Flacco last week, too. “Last night they started to put the heat on Joe Flacco. He can’t escape, he’s not mobile and I don’t think he’s Joe Cool. I think he’s Joe Uncool under any kind of pass rush, more than any other quarterbacks are.”

Ex-Browns coach Eric Mangini stuck up for Flacco, chalking it up as a bad game for him and his teammates.

“It’s a group effort,” Mangini said. “You’ve got to protect better. You’ve got to be able to run the football. And those receivers have to get open. It’s not just the quarterback, although he takes the bulk of the responsibility.”

Jemele Hill said she was off the Joe Flacco bandwagon after January’s playoff loss to the Steelers.

“I keep waiting for him to take that next step … and I don’t see it,” the ESPN.com columnist said.